Shifting Priorities: 15 Jobs with the Highest Resignation Intentions

Shifting priorities in the job market are emerging. Employees are increasingly intending to leave their jobs. This shift spans various sectors. Payscale’s study of over 770,000 U.S. workers highlights this trend.

Senior product managers notably seek new opportunities. They earn a median of $144,000. Yet, 66% are looking elsewhere. This trend extends beyond tech jobs. It’s evident in healthcare and more. Phlebotomists and line cooks are examples. 62% of them, earning $39,300 and $32,200, plan to leave.

Here are the top 15 jobs people are planning to quit:

1. Senior product manager: 66% seeking a new job; $144,000 median pay
2. Phlebotomist: 62% seeking a new job; $39,300 median pay
3. Line cook: 62% seeking a new job; $32,200 median pay
4. Patient care technician: 61% seeking a new job; $37,700
5. Emergency room registered nurse: 60% seeking a new job; $79,100 median pay
6. Patient services representative: 59% seeking a new job; $39,600 median pay
7. Cyber security analyst: 59% seeking a new job; $82,900 median pay
8. Welder, cutter, solderer or brazer: 58% seeking a new job; $48,400 median pay
9. Forklift operator: 58% seeking a new job; $39,800 median pay
10. IT program manager: 58% seeking a new job; $132,000 median pay
11. Critical care registered nurse: 58% seeking a new job; $80,700 median pay
12. Retail sales associate: 58% seeking a new job; $30,700 median pay
13. Software development engineer: 58% seeking a new job; $86,800
14. Senior data analyst: 58% seeking a new job; $97,100
15. Patient care coordinator: 58% seeking a new job; $46,300

This wave of potential resignations, encompassing a range of roles from emergency room nurses to IT program managers, reflects a widespread desire for change. Economic uncertainties, shifting priorities, and stressful work environments, especially in healthcare, fuel this trend. These factors point to a deeper questioning of what’s important.

The Future of Life: Shifting Priorities

The recent spate of large-scale layoffs has shaken the concept of job security, leading many to seek new opportunities. Downsizing phases, which often result in reduced resources, add to the fatigue, burnout, and dissatisfaction of the remaining workforce.

In a past approach, solutions like addressing staff shortages and ensuring fair compensation in healthcare would have been prioritized. However, these measures do not address the fundamental issue: a desire to move away from being cogs in a system indifferent to wellbeing. And an understanding that there are so many jobs that require human interaction that cause massive burnout.

The future of life and work is here right now and it is inviting us to understand that safety is a myth. When we are the drivers of our life, we unlearn and learn to choose our health.

And sure, we will see the pace of resignations vary depending on economic conditions.

Yet, the bottom line is that in 2024, the great questioning continues. People are making different choices when it comes to life and work. Sure, not everyone can or wants to be a digital nomad, become a shuttler or live the van life. But the discussions around hybrid or remote work only skim the surface of a deeper shift. This shift prioritizes personal fulfillment over sustaining a lifestyle that leads to burnout.

This evolving landscape suggests a crucial moment for all of us. It’s time to question what is work. Maybe it’s more than a job and a title on a business card? As the world  continues to evolve, these dynamics will play a pivotal role in shaping our health.

“How can I begin anything new with all of yesterday in me?”—Leonard Cohen